Knicks fall to Heat 120-127, lose second straight

In a disappointing loss, the Knicks fell to the Miami Heat 120-127 at the Miami-Dade Arena.

RJ Barrett led the Knicks, scoring 26 points on an efficient 8-13 from the field. Jalen Brunson also had a strong showing, contributing 25 points to the effort but missed a couple of key free throws with 22.3 seconds left.

“You’ve got to be mentally tough when things aren’t going our way. It’s going to be loud in the playoffs. If we want to be the team that we want to be we’ve got to be better.”

– Jalen Brunson

The Heat went on a 16-2 run in the fourth quarter, which gave them a comfortable 114-102 lead and allowed them to secure the victory.

Despite the loss, the Knicks overcame an 11-point deficit in the third quarter and even led for a brief moment early in the fourth. The first half was balanced, with the Knicks trailing by 9 late in the second quarter, but cutting the lead to 61-64 at halftime.

Quentin Grimes had a standout game, scoring 22 points on an impressive 6-10 from beyond the arc. Julius Randle, who scored a career-high 57 points in the previous game, contributed 15 points and 9 assists.

The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler’s 35 points and 9 assists, and Tyler Herro’s 22 points.

Before the game, the Heat held a moment of silence in honor of Knicks legend Willis Reed, who passed away Tuesday.

The loss was a tough one for the Knicks, who now logged to straight losses. The team played with black ribbons on their uniforms to honor Reed and will look to bounce back in their next game.

Up-next: The Knicks (42-32) will continue their Florida adventure and meet the Magic (30-43) tonight from 7:00 pm